About Peter May

Peter May is a Scot living in France. He is known for the award-winning “China Thrillers”, the critically acclaimed “Enzo Files” and his latest series “The Lewis Trilogy”, set in the Outer Hebrides of his native Scotland.

Published by Quercus in the UK, the first in “The Lewis Trilogy”, “The Blackhouse” came out in in February 2011. It was chosen by Richard and Judy for their autumn Book Club and spent 9 weeks in the UK best seller charts reaching #7. The Blackhouse also won one of the world’s biggest readers’ prizes, the French Literary award the Cezam Prix Litteraire in October 2011.

Published first in French as “L’Ile de Chasseurs d”Oiseaux”, “The Blackhouse” also won the Prix des Lecteurs at the Le Havre “Les Ancres Noires” book festival, and was described in France’s “L’Humanité” as:

“A thriller with an intensity that never slackens, chilling and fiery at the same time, like the great country that serves as its setting. A masterpiece indeed.”

The second book in the trilogy is “The Lewis Man” it was published in hardback in the UK in January 2012.

This might come up twice, Helen. But it was difficult at first to contemplate turning a one-of into a trilogy.m but I am happy with the results, and you can judge for yourself when The Lewis Man comes out in February. Thanks for your kind words.

I loved each book in the trilogy – I practically read each one in a single sitting! I moved immediately onto the China thrillers, and have only Chinese Whispers left to read. I had to buy that and Firemaker kindle versions, and scoured the net for 2nd hand versions of the others as, for some reason, new books are currently unavailable. Such is my addiction to your talent, Mr. May, that I now am trying to track down copies of the Enzo Files. Not only are they out of print, they are also out of kindle! So far, I have only managed to find Freeze Frame online, and some audio versions of Dry Bones. Wish me luck in my quest. I’m delighted to hear that you are beginning a new series and that the first one will be published next year. I very much look forward to that! Thank you for the many very contented hours you have given me.

Hi Joan, I’m delighted you are enjoying my books. All of the China series are available on Kindle, and will come out early next year in new paperback editions. The Enzo series has never been published in the UK, but will come out later this year, both in Kindle and in paperback. I have still to write the final book in that series. Another, standalone, book “Virtually Dead”, which was published in the States, will also be made available soon in the UK. My next novel is also a standalone, not a series, and will be out next January. A photo companion book for the trilogy, called “Hebrides”, will be out in October.

Thanks very much for all this very useful, and very welcome information. I’m so pleased the Enzo series is finally to be published here and I really look forward to your new book early next year. I hope your muse allows you to rest a little before you begin again! I’m wondering when an enterprising producer will realise what a wonderful film Chessmen could make. In the right hands it would be terrific – so much would lend itself to great cinema. Obviously The Blackhouse would not be politically correct because of the Gulag hunt, and Lewisman perhaps needs the references to it, but Chessmen has everything for a very wide audience. Anyway, enjoy some relaxation now your manuscript has been sent!

I would love to see one or more of the books made into a film. However I would be concerned that the fixation of film with having something happen every five minutest and the format might not do justice to the wonderful books. The books transported me to a totally engrossing island world, the Black House being read in one day as a result. I have never done that before. I doubt if a film could match that feeling but I might be pleasantly surprised.